Emergency ship-brake.



J. H. HYDE.

EMERGENCY SHIP BRAKE.

APPLIGATION. FILED uns, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

unirsi) sfrArns PATENT carries.

JOHN H. HYDE, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

EMERGENCY SHIP-BRAKE.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOI-IN H. HYDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of lVashington, have invented a new and useful Emergency Ship-Brake, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ships and has for its object to provide a means whereby a ships speed may be suddenly reduced to avoid an accident.

Other objects are to provide such a means which, when not in use, will not affect materially the speed of the vessel nor the power required thereby; to provide means for neutralizing the st-rains on the ship; to provide means for holding and simultaneously releasing said braking means; and to provide means for starting said braking means in action.

I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisms, and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of a ship having my devices thereon but in inoperative position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing said devices in operative position; Fig. 3 is a detail of a portion of the stem of the ship in section, showing portions of my devices thereon; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the ship stem; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the ship showing my device in operative position thereon.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The ship l is provided with a series of hinged plates at suitable intervals on each side from its stem to the point of greatest beam, each plate extending from above the water line downward below the water and normally fitting against the side of the vessel and secured thereto by hinges 3 at the rear edge thereof. The free end of each plate therefore normally lies forward of the hinged end. A chain or cable 4 is secured to the free end of the plate 2 at suitable points thereon and extends therefrom to a point near the hinge 3 of the adjacent preceding plate 2. The forward plates 2 on opposite sides of the ship have their chains secured to or passing around the stem of the ship. The chains 4 are of such length as to limit the outward swing of the plates 2 on their hinges when they are released from their Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 9, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914. serial No. 759,837.

normal position to their acting position. I prefer to make the plates of such dimensions that when they are not in use they will overlap slightly, the free end of each lying outside of the hinged end of the preceding plate, so that when the forward plate is thrown outward it will force the next plate open and allow the water to pass between it and the vessel; also, I prefer to make each plate extend down into the water a greater distance than the neXt preceding plate thus further increasing the grip which the water will have on it to turn it on its hinges when it is released.

The ship is preferably constructed with transverse bulkheads 5, or other reinforcement at each hinge point as a precaution against undue strain on the hull, but I believe that the inward pressure of one plate 2 on the hull at its hinge 3 will be substantially counterbalanced by the outward pull at the same plate by the cable 4 of the succeeding plate 2, the two forces resulting however in a dragging or retarding force which is carried by the frame and hull to the stem and this force will be entirely a tensile stress and therefore it is evident that it is an easy matter to allow for it in the construction of the vessel. The cables or chains 4 are preferably supported, when the plates are not in use, in such way as to be out of the water most of the time or they may be passed through suitable ports above the water line.

A latch 6 is pivoted to the ship near the upper edge of each plate 2, said latch engaging the outer side of the plate to hold it against the side of the ship and prevent it from swinging outward until the latch is released. All the latches are secured together so that when one is operated they all simultaneously release the plates. A spring-actuated toggle-j ointed mechanism 7 is mounted within the ship adjacent to and engaging the front end of the front plates 2, said mechanism being held from Y action by a latch S, connected with the latches 6, which when it is released allows the spring thereof to push outward on both front plates and start them opening. The latches 6 and 8 may be operated by a cord 9 or other suitable device.

Having described my invention what I claim isz- In a device of the class described, the

Combination with a ship; of a plurality of means for simultaneously releasing said plates pivotally secured thereto in pairs on holding means.

op @site sides thereof, the forward edge 0i eadii plate overlapping and lying outside of JOHN H HYDE" the rear pivoted edge of the preceding plate; TWitnesses:

means to hold said plates in inoperative po- M. F. MCNEIL,

sition against the side of the ship; and H. N. PETERSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

